Preview

The Most Dangerous Game Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
434 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Most Dangerous Game Essay Example
The Most Dangerous Game
Summary: The Most Dangerous Game, written by Richard Connell has been capturing the attention of readers for many decades. In this story of survival and escape, Connell uses many literary devices to create a more interesting and dramatic effect. Some literary devices used in the story are internal and external conflict, characterization, and role-reversal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Most Dangerous Game, written by Richard Connell has been capturing the attention of readers for many decades. In this story of survival and escape, Connell uses many literary devices to create a more interesting and dramatic effect. Some literary devices used in the story are internal and external conflict, characterization, and role-reversal
Characterization is an important device used in this story, as it provides insight into the way characters are presented. For example, General Zaroff's physical appearance: "He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white, but his thick eyebrows and pointed military mustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes too, were black and very bright. He had high cheek bones, a sharp cut nose, a spare, dark face, the face of a man used to giving orders the face of an aristocrat." He was a sophisticated man, yet he was manipulative, arrogant, and cold hearted. When his servant Ivan died, he was aggravated that he would have to replace him. "Two slight annoyances kept him from perfect enjoyment. One was the thought that it would be hard to replace Ivan."

Role-reversal is another literary device used in this story. For example, in the beginning of the story, before Rainsford arrived on the island, he was a hunter. After arriving on the island, and meeting General Zaroff his role were reversed from the hunter to the hunted. However, towards the end of the story the roles were reversed again, Rainsford became the hunter

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    ‘The Most Dangerous Game” was written by Richard Connell. A famous author in the 1920s and 1930s. Two characters in the story are Big game hunters which was a popular sport for the wealthy in the early 20th century. In the story “The Most Dangerous game” the author Richard Connell uses foreshadowing to lead to the eventual ironic fate of the main character.…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    bring fear with the thrill. Rainsford, a game hunter, was on his yacht when he got thrown from the ship into the Caribbean sea. Rainsford swam to an island where he was awaited with a man named General Zaroff. General hunted game too, nevertheless the Generals game was humans, and Rainsford fell right into his trap. Rainsford had 3 days to survive a hunting spree by the General. If he made it 3 days without being caught, then Rainsford gets to go home; Dolefully that did not happen to any other human before Rainsford. In Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” The use of similes/metaphors and Imagery contributes to the story’s overall mood.…

    • 286 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Richard Connell the author of the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” craftily used foreshadowing to suggest that General Zaroff was a cannibal. For example, in the exposition, Rainsford and Whitney discussed Ship-Trap Island and mentioned the word cannibal two times during this brief conversation: “‘Cannibals?’ suggested Rainsford. ‘Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn’t live…’” (Connell 2). While the significance of this repetition is not evident until later in the story when readers meet General Zaroff and learn that he hunts humans for sport, the use of repetition by an author is usually purposely done and often indicates hints or clues for the reader to pay attention to. In another example of foreshadowing, Connell describes General Zaroff…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "The Most Dangers Game", also published as "The Hounds Of Zaroff", is a shot story by Richard Connell, fist published in Collier's on January 19, 1924. The story is inspired by the big-hunting Safaris in Africa and South America in the 1920s. while traveling to Rio de Janeiro Rainsford's friend Whitney goes to bed and Rainsford stays on deck. Rainsoff hears a gunshot while trying to get a better look at the island nearby he falls over board causing him to have to swim to the island. when Rainsford comes to shipwrecked island he meets General Zaroff who is the owner of a private island that he calls "ship-trap island", he lives there with his gigantic deaf-mute servant.…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The Most Dangerous Game” initiates by introducing a hunter by the name of Sanger Rainsford. As Mr. Rainsford gets stranded on the Island of Ship Trap Island, owned by a Cossack by the name of General Zaroff, he discovers a game that he dares not play. As General Zaroff eases Rainsford into his “more dangerous game” (8), Rainsford “[wished] to leave this island at once” (15). After many hints he realizes that the biggest game had to be humans, which were brought in by the great seas or hashes of light leading to humongous rocks. After Rainsford denies Zaroff’s offer to hunt, Zaroff tells Rainsford that “the choice rests entirely with [him]” (15). He can either choose to hunt or get knouted by Ivan, his assistant. The first day of Rainsford’s…

    • 1218 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Would you rather act on fear or be unable to act at all? "The Veldt's" main characters, George and Lydia, are taken by surprise when their own children are the reason for their demise. Despite its treacherous setting, "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell is not as dangerous as "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. Although there are clear hazards on Ship-Trap Island, the dangers of the Happylife Home are much more threatening.…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    People’s characteristics and actions can determine what will happen to them. This is true in Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game.” Rainsford’s key characteristics such as his creativeness, toughness, and moral values are crucial to his survival.…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Throughout the reading "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell there are multiple incidents of suspense. One of these moments is Rainsford's first encounter with a man named Ivan, who greeted Rainsford with pistol pointed straight at his chest. Almost immediately, the reader began to anticipate whether this character would die, survive, or suffer other consequences such as injury causing tension in the story. Another occurrence of suspense is when General Zaroff begins to tell of the most dangerous game, hence the title. As he begins tell of his life, he states that the animals he had been once so fond of hunting had ceased to be "a sporting proposition" and that they no longer were of fascination. It then became his aspiration to create…

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell, is an original nonfiction story about two hunters who take themselves into the Amazon to hunt down animals. Rainsford, one of the main hunters, ends up finding himself on a mysterious island after an accident occurs. Comparing to the film, the characters throughout the scenes differentiate in many ways. Although, the short story itself is entertaining. The changes such as the shipwreck, a love interest, and character development that the director produces a much more dramatic plot, placing the audience on the edge of their seats.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    While one may look at Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" and Ernest Hemmingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and pass them off as basically the same, he should be reminded of the cliché "don't judge a book by its cover." Although both are short stories, each work encompasses a number of elements that are characteristically associated with either commercial or literary fiction. By evaluating the author's use of elements of fiction, such as plot, theme, and characterization, and the literary devices diction, figurative language, and detail, one can come to the conclusion that neither story is better than the other.…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    English 9ap Critical Lens

    • 597 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Second, the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” shows how things are not always how they seem. There are two examples from the work that show this is true. First, sailors look at Shiptrap Island a…

    • 597 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A boat on the Caribbean Sea is heading to Rio, and a sailor aboard, named Rainsford, falls over the railing into the black waters after hearing gunshots, and swims towards an island with dense jungle and the welcoming General. One example of conflict in the story is when Rainsford hears gun shots fired out in the dark night. This begins the conflict because it is when Rainsford falls out of the boat into the ocean. Zaroff celebrates, "I drink to a foeman worthy of my steel—at last" (Connell 68). General Zaroff is intrigued now that he will be hunting Rainsford, a man with equal wits and skill, in his game. When the knife slingshot set by Rainsford fails to hit the target of Zaroff in the jungle it creates suspense. This means that Rainsford's weapon did not kill his most dangerous enemy and he will have to keep fighting through this game. Richard Connell used conflict to create suspense in "The Most Dangerous Game" to win the reader's attention from the beginning, and go on a frightful journey with Rainsford through the…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” the author, Richard Connell, does an outstanding job of portraying the bizarre adventure of an insane, however experienced hunter, General Zaroff. The protagonist, Rainsford, another experienced hunter from New York City, appears on General Zaroff’s island, explores, and eventually encounters with Zaroff. They introduce themselves, settle down, and begin to talk. During the talk with the general, Rainsford soon learns that the General was not only a hunter; but a murderer as well. Zaroff has lured and ceased many sailors to his island to play a game. Although, they did not hunt with the General, the General hunted them! Zaroff claimed that hunting “had become too easy”, therefore, hunting began to bore him (Connell 21).The General began to murder every single one of his victims as if he were actually hunting an animal. General Zaroff did not have any form of regretfulness or discomfort which clearly shows insanity. General Zaroff’s character is clearly sadistic and manipulative and makes the hunting of animals into a thrilling, immoral game of hunting of human life.…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Most Dangerous Game

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is composed of character, setting and conflict. One of the critical themes in the short story is irony, which plays a major role in the story. There is irony in the setting, a remote jungle island, the conflict, murder verses hunting, and the characters, General Zaroff who is a crazed man-hunter and Mr. Rainsford, his prey.…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Violence Is the Answer?

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Human violence is frowned upon by society, but it is a very common theme for short stories. Authors use gruesome or macabre details to develop and emphasize theme. Theme, the controlling idea or insight to the story, can be clarified when authors use such extreme forms of violence. In the short stories “The Destructors”, by Graham Greene, “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson, and “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Conell, some form of gruesome actions takes place. In each of these stories, irrational acts of violence, horrible traditions, and the hunting of humans, respectively, help to highlight and accentuate the theme. By striking interest in the reader while these gruesome actions are taking place, the authors of these stories are able to draw attention to the theme of their stories. Also, the way humans are treated in these short stories informs society that violence like this may seem bizarre, but it is very common in other parts of the world. It is clear that the elements of violence and cruelty demonstrate the self-centeredness that abounds in each story.…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays